When we remodeled our kitchen, I joked that we were “camping at home.” The fridge sat in the living room, the microwave lived on a folding table, and I washed dishes in the laundry sink. It wasn’t glamorous, but with some creativity, we got through it.
The truth is, cooking without a kitchen is less about fancy appliances and more about rethinking how you cook and eat. Here are a few things I learned along the way.
Think “Building Blocks,” Not Recipes
During our remodel, I stopped worrying about complicated meals and focused on keeping a few staples ready:
- Cooked grains like rice or quinoa
- A protein that could stretch across a few meals
- A couple of prepped veggies
Mix and match these, and you suddenly have endless possibilities: a grain bowl, a wrap, or a quick salad.
Batch, Then Rest
Remodeling already eats up your energy. Instead of cooking every day, I picked one or two evenings a week to grill, pressure cook, or prep food in bulk. That way, the rest of the week was easier, just heat and eat.
Give Yourself Grace
Some days, dinner will be perfectly planned. Other days, the construction noise will be overwhelming, or workers will stay late, and pizza delivery will save the day. Both are okay. Flexibility really is the secret ingredient.
Make It Fun
Once we cooked outside and ate by lantern light. Leaning into the “camping” mind
set turned mealtime into an adventure instead of a hassle. And because I know how much the right tools can help during this season, I’m celebrating with a giveaway for a brand-new Instant Pot this month. (Details below!)
Want More Help?
I’ve pulled together even more practical strategies, quick recipes, and lessons learned from real remodels into a free guide: Surviving a Remodel Without a Kitchen.
👉 Download the Guide Here and you’ll also be automatically entered into our October Giveaway for a brand-new Instant Pot. The giveaway is open through October 25th, and the winner will be announced October 31st. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by cooking without a kitchen, know this: with a little planning (and a lot of flexibility), you really can eat well through the dust and chaos.
This all sounds so familiar. When we were building our house, we rented my grandmother‘s house, but she had sold all of her appliances. We survived with crockpots and a hot plate.